Machine for forming balls.



iNo. 756,212. yBATLN'LIILD APR.- 5`-, 1904.'

A. o. CAMPBELL.

MAGHINE FOR PORMING BALLS. APPLICATION FILED MAY s; 1903.

No MODEL. .7 SHEETS-3mm 1.

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MACHINE PoR .FORMING BALLS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 9, 1903.

N0 HODIIIL. 7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENTED'APIR. 5,1904.

- A, c.- CAMPBELL.

vMACHINE PoR FORMING BALLS.

APPLIUATION FILED HAY 9, 1903.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' No 1:01am..

No. 756,212. PATBNTBD APR. 5, 1904.

A. G. GAMPBELL.- AY MACHINE PoR FORMING BALLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Witnesses: @fave/Z502 I y a W. w y if flbwzey.

NO. 756,212. 'PATLNTED APR. 5, 1904.

A. 0. CAMPBELL.

MACHINE FOR PORMING BALLS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 9, 1903. N0 MODEL.l 7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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No. 756,212. PATLNTLD APR. 5, 1904.

r A. c. CAMPBELL.

MACHINE PoR FGRMING BALLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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. PATBNTED APR. 5. 1904. l A. o. (LLJLIPBELL.V

MACHINE FOR FORMING BALLS.

- APPLIOATION FILED HAY 9. 1903,

No MODEL. 7 SHEETS-SHEET '1.

Ffm-756,212.

U NITED` STATES 1 .ANDREW C. 'CAimJjBELL1 orY WATEEBURY, CONNECTICUT, AssieNoR; To

Patented April 5, 1904. 'l

PATENT OFFICE.

THE E. J. MANVILLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF WATERBRY, CON- Y NECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE Fon FORMING BALLS.

SPECIFICATION- forming part of Letters 'Patent N0. 756,212, dated April 5, 1904.

Appiiamieamayg,190s. .seraiNa 156,347. (No model.) I

To all whom 7125 may con/cern:

terbury, in the county of New Haven and 5 State of Connecticut, have invented certain,

new and useful Improvements in Machines for Forming Balls, of which the `following is a specification. This invention relates to a machine which IO automatically forms a continuous length of wire into metal balls.

The object of the invention is the production of a machine which will form accurate balls very rapidly from a continuous length of I5 wire.

In the machine illustrated as embodying the invention wire is intermittently fed rear-` wardly by rolls through the front of the frame Vagainst an adjustable stop. The end of the 2O wire that is back of the frame is then cut oli? by a cutter which is positively moved transversely from one side. At the same time that the cutter vis moved-from one side a coperat-v ing holder is moved by a spring transversely from the other side, so that the cut piece of wire will be held between the cutter and the holder. e moved together and carry the blank sidewise into line with a iixed front die having a semi.`

spherical cavity and a movable back die having a semispherical cavity. When the blank is alined withT the dies, theback dieis movedforwardly by a cam until the blank is held atj one end at the center of the cavity in the iixed die and held at the'other end at the center of the cavity in the movable die. Then while the' movable die'dwells the cutter and holder are drawn apart from between the dies, after which the back die. is forced forwardly far- 40 ther and squeezes the blank until-it fills the spherical cavity between the dies. Theback die is then drawn rearwardly, and a pin is caused toV move into the cavity in the face of each dieto knock out the ball.

Figure '1 oftheaccompanying drawings is Y a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 is aside ,elevation of the machine, showing the feed-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a longi-A The Vvcutter and the holder are then} l Y tudinal'section on the vertical plane that passes Be it known that I, ANDREW C. CAMPBELLa: citizen of the United States, residing at Wa# through the center of the dies, showing the movable die-operating mechanism and the knock-out mechanisms. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the vertical plane indicated by the dotted line 44 ot' Fig. 2 and looking forwardly toward'the cutter, holder, and xed die. Fig. 5 is a plan of the cutter and holder mechanisms. the movable die and die-block. Fig. 7 is a Fig. 6 is a plan of longitudinal section through theV front partey of the frame on the vertical plane that passes through the feed-quill and wire-stop. Fig.'8

is a plan with a portion of the front part of y the frame and the tiXed die cut away. Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on the vertical plane indicated by the dotted line 9 9 of Fig. 2 looking toward the front. Fig. 10 is a detail side view of the holder-operating cani, and Fig. 11 is an edge view of the same.

' The fixed die 1, with a semispherical cavity 2, is secured in a die-block 3, that is held in a mortise in the back edge of the front part of the frame 4.

The movable die 5, with a semispherical cavity 6, is secured in a die-block 7 ,'that is adjustably held in a mortise in the front end of a gate 8. This gate is movable toward the front andback inthe opening between the sides 9 of the frame. In a recess in vtherear end of the gate is a block 10 with a roll 11, that. projects beyond the rear edge of the block. In two sockets inthe rear end of the l gate are ysprings 12, that thrust against-the front edge of the block and tend to force the block. and roll rearwardly. Adjustably held in a longitudinal opening in the gate in front of the block is a cylindrical stud 13.

gaged with the inclined rear edge of a'wedge 14,that is vertically movable in the gate. This The. forward end of this stud is beveled and en-l j l nects the ear 17, secured on the top at the rear end of the gate, with the upper end of a cross-head 18, and a rod 19 connects the lug projecting from the bottom of the gate with the lower end of the cross-head. This crosshead carries aroll 20, which projects forwardly from the front edge of the cross-head, Fig. 3.

The main shaft 2l extends transversely and is held by bearings on each side near the rear end of the frame. On this shaft near the middle of the frame is a cam 22, that engages the roll in the block, which is thrustrearwardly from the back end of the gate carrying the movable die, and that engages the roll in the crosshead that is connected with the gate by the upper and lower rods, Fig. 3. When the shaft is rotated, the cam by engagement with the roll in the block forces the gate forwardly and by engagement with the roll in the crosshead draws the gate backwardly. The springs between the gate and the block thrust the former forwardly, and when the movable die engages the end of a blank the springs yield until the block engages the stud. Then the gate is forced forward positively.

The Wire is intermittently fed by the friction of rolls 23 through a quill 24, inserted into an opening through the front part of the frame at one side of the fixed die. The feedroll spindles Aare mounted in the case 25, that is attached to the front of the machine, and on the ends opposite the feed-rolls have intermeshing gears 26. On the lower spindle is a ratchet-wheel 27 and a ratchet-arm 28, that' has a pawl 29 engaging the ratchet-teeth, Figs. 1 and 2. A rod 30 connects the ratchetarm with a crank 31 on the main shaft. The rotation of this crank reciprocates the ratchet at the proper time and causes the wheels to feed the wire, Fig. 2.

Inside of the front of the frame, with its upper end in line with the opening through the feed-quill, is a stop 32. The hub of this stop is connected with a spindle 33, that extends through the front part of the frame below the feed-quill and is threaded, so that by the rotation of the spindle the stop can be adjusted with relation-to the end of the opening through the feed-quill, Figs. 7 and 8. The wire is fed. through the quill against this stop, so that the adjustment of the stop determines the exact length of wire fed into the machine. It is desirable to have the rolls feed slightly more than is necessary and butt the wire firmly against the stop, thus insuring a feed of the full amount of wire required to form a ball. (The rolls slip after the wire has come in contact with the stop.)

The cutter 34 has a semicircular recess in its operative edge, which approximately fits the wire and is mounted on a bar 35, that is movable transversely through one side of the machine. The outer end of the cutter-bar has a block 36, mounted on an adjusting-screw 37.

Attached to the under side of this block is av roller 38, which projects into a cam-groove 39 in the slide 40, that is movable forwardly and backwardly on the side of the machine, Figs. 4 and 5. This slide .is connected by a rod 41 with a crank 42 on one end of the main shaft, Fig. l. When the crank moves this slide forwardly, the cam-groove and the roll on the block attached to the outer end of cutterbar drive the cutter inwardly toward the wire, and when the slide is drawn back the cutter is drawn outwardly. A spring 43, which is connected between a pin 68, projecting from the cutter-bar, and a post 69, secured to the frame, tends to hold the roll attached. to the cutterbar against the outer wall of the cam-groove, Figs. 1, 5, and 9.

The holder 44 has a semicircular recess in its operative edge which approximately fits the wire and is attached to a bar 45, which is movable transversely through the side of the frame opposite the cutter. The holder-bar has an adjustable block 46 with a roll 47, that extends into a mortise, having an inclined wall 48 in a slide 49, Figs. 4 and 5. This slide is moved forwardly and backwardly on the outside of the frame by means of a cam 50 and a connecting-rod 51.

The inclined wall is so arranged that the forward movement of the slide causes the withdrawal of the holder from the dies and cutter at the proper time. The holder-bar is pushed inwardly by a lever 52, pivoted to the side of the frame, and a spring 53, connected between the lever and the frame, Figs. 2 and 9.

The cutter-slide crank and the holder-slide cam are so timed that the holder is allowed to move over against the wire as the cutter begins to cut. Then the cutter mechanism moves the cutter and the holder together and causes them to carry the blank into line with the dies. After the back die has been moved forward and the blank is held between the dies the cutter by its slide and the holder by its slide are while the springs between the gate and block are yielding and the gate and back die are dwelling drawn apart from between the dies. A pin 54 lies in an opening in the fixed die in line with the center of the cavity. This pin is fixed to a rod 55, that hasa beveled end. Engaging this beveled end is a wedge on the vertical spindle 56, that is normally raised by a spring 57.

Lying in an opening through the movable die in line with' the cavity is a pin 58, that is fixed to a rod 59, that has a beveled end. The beveled end of this rod is engaged by a wedge on a vertical spindle 60, that is normally held raised by a spring 61, Fig. 3. Above the upper ends of these spindles are screw-studs 62 in the ends of arms 63, that are attached to a shaft 64, that at the rear end has an arm 65 with a roll 66, adapted to engage the peripheral cam 67 This cam is so timed that after a ball has been formed by compressing the wire blank between the dies and the movable die is retracted the shaft is IOC IIO

rocked so that the arms cause the vstuds to depress the spindles and drive the pins into the cavities, so as to insure the removal of the ball which has been formed.

As a result of the employment of a cam which can be timed to give a variable movement to the gate which carries the back die,

the cutter and holder can carrythe blank into line with the center of the semispherical cavities in the dies and-hold the blank in such' `position until the back die has been moved forwardly enough to firmly pinch the blank between the dies before the cutter and holder are withdrawn and loosen their grasp upon the blank, the gate with the movable die dwelling after the blank has been pinched unferent lengths of wire for forming balls of different size without changing the cam on the main shaft.

I claim as my inventione l. A machine for forming balls having a framea cutter, a holder, means for moving the holder and cutter toward each otherand against opposite sides of the piece to be cut,

-means for moving the cutter and holder together and causing a piece to be cut and carried between lthem into line with a die fixed with relation to the frame and a die movable with relation to the frame, -means for reciprocating the movable die and causing that die to iirst hold, then dwell, and afterward compress into spherical form the cut piece, and means for drawing the holder and cutter apart from between the dies while the movable die dwells, substantially as specified.

2. A machine for forming balls having a frame, a wire-feed mechanism, a cutter, a holder, means for moving the holder and cutter toward each other and against opposite sides of the piece to be cut, means for moving the cutter and holder together and causing a piece to be cut and carried between them into line with a die fixed with relation to the frame and a die movable with relation to the frame, means for reciprocating the movable die and causing that die to first hold, then dwell, and afterward compress into spherical form the cut piece, and means for drawing the folder and cutter apart from between the dies while the movable die dwells, substantially as specified;

3. A machine lfor forming balls having a frame, a wire-feed mechanism, a stop for limiting the amount of wire fed, a cutter, a

Y holder, means for moving the holder and cutter I toward each other and against opposite sides of the piece to be cut, means for moving the cutter and holder together and causing a piece to be cut and carried between them into line with a die fixed with relation to the frame and f a die movable with relation to the frame, means for reciprocating the movable die and causing that die to first hold, then dwell,'and afterward compress into spherical form the cut piece, and means for drawing the holder and cutter apart vfrom between the dies while the movable die dwells, substantially as specified.

4. A machine for forming balls having a frame, a die with a semispherical recess fixed with relation to the frame, a gate movable with relation to the frame, a die with a semispherical recess carried by the gate, a block movable in a recess in the gate, springs tend? ing to thrust the block rearwardly from the gate, a cam adapted to force the block and gate forwardly as they are held apart by the springs, then force the block forwardly independently of the gate and afterward force the block and gate forwardly'as one piece, a cutter,

a holder, means for moving the cutter and holder together and causing a piece to be cut and carried between them in line with the dies, and means for drawing the holder and cutter apart from between the dies while the movable die dwells, substantially as specified.

5. A machine for forming balls having a frame, a die with a semispherical recess fixed with relation to the frame, a gate movable with relation to the frame, a die with a semispherical recess carried by the gate, a block movable in a recess in the gate, a roll with a portion projecting from the rear edge of the block, springs tending to thrust the' block rearwardly from the gate, a cam adapted to engage the roll and thrust the block and gate forwardly as separated by the springs, then force the block forwardly independently of the V gate and afterward force the block and gate forwardly as one piece, a cutter for cutting off the blanks, a holder, means for moving the IIO holder and cutter toward each other and.

against opposite sides of the piece to be cut, means for moving the cutter and holder together and causing a piece to be out and carried between them into line with the dies, and means' for drawing the cutter and holder apart from between the dies while the movable die dwells, substantially as specified.

6. A machine for forming balls having a frame, a die with a semispherical recess fixedV with relation to the frame, a gate movable with relation to the frame, a die with a semispherical recess carried bythe gate, a block movable in a recess in the gate, a roll with a portion projecting from the rear edge of the block, springs tending to thrust the block rearwardly from the gate, a cross-head connected with the'gate, a roll with a portion projecting forwardly from vthe cross-head, a cam adapted to engage the front roll andthrust the ISO block and gate forwardly as separated by the springs, then force the block forwardly independently of the gate and afterward force the block and gate forwardly as one piece and adapted to engage the rear roll and force the cross-head backwardly, a cutter, a holder, means for moving the cutter and holder toward each other and against opposite sides of the piece to be cut, means for moving the cutter and holder together and causing a piece to be cut and carried between them into line with the dies, and means for moving the cutter and holder apart from between the dies while thf movable die dwells, substantially as speci- 7. A machine for forming balls having a frame, a die with a semispherical recess fixed with relation to the frame, a gate movable with relation to the frame, a die with a semispherical recess carried by the gate, a block movable in a recess in the gate, springs tending to thrust the block rearwardly from the gate, an adjustable stud carried by the gate in front of the block, a cam adapted to force the block and gate forwardly as they are held apart by the springs, then force the block forwardly independently of the gate and afterward force the block and gate forwardly as one piece, a cutter, a holder, means for moving the cutter and holder toward each and against opposite sides of the piece to be cut, means for moving the cutter and holder together and causing a piece to be cut and carried between them in line with the dies, and means for drawing the holder and cutter apart from between the dies while the movable die dwells, substantially as specied.

8. A machine for forming balls having a frame, awire-feed mechanism, astop for limiting the amount of wire fed, a die with a semispherical recess fixed with relation to the frame, a gate movable with relation to the frame, a die with a semispherical recess carried by the gate, a block movable in a recess in the gate, springs tending to thrust the block rearwardly from the gate,a cam adapted to force the block and the gate forwardly as separated by the springs, then force the block forwardly independently of the gate and afterward force the block and gate forwardly as one piece, a cutter for cutting ofi' blanks,

la holder, means for moving the cutter and holder toward each other and against opposite sides of the piece to be cut, means for moving the cutter and holder together and causing a piece to be cut and carried between them in line with the dies, and means for drawing the cutter and holder apart from between the dies while the movable die dwells, substantially as specified.

9. A machine for forming balls having a frame, a fixed die, a movable die, mechanism for moving the latter die forwardly, causing it to dwell, moving it still farther forwardly and then moving it backwardly, a cutter adapted to cut a length of wire, aholder adapted to cooperate with the cutter for holding the cut piece, and mechanisms for moving the cutter i and the holder together with the cut piece between them into linel with the dies and moving the cutter and holder from each other while the movable die dwells during its forward movement, substantially as specified.

l0. A machine for forming balls having a frame, a wire-feed mechanism, a stop for limiting the amount of wire fed, a fixed die, a movable die, mechanism for moving the latter die forwardly, causing it to dwell,'mov ing it still farther forwardly and then moving it backwardly, a cutter adapted to cuta length of wire, a holder adapted to cooperate with the cutter, and mechanisms for moving the cutter and the holder together with the eut piece between them into line with dies and moving the cutter and holder from each other while the movable die dwells during its forward movement, substantially as specied.

l ANDREW C. CAMPBELL.

VitnesSes:

E. P. LINCH, N. W. CUMMINs. 

